New Haven, Conn. (October 4, 2003)- Southern Connecticut State defeated Saint Anselm, 49-9, in a Northeast-10 Conference football game played in front of a Homecoming crowd of 2,421 in New Haven, Conn. on Saturday.
Southern Connecticut State improves to 4-1 both overall and in the NE-10, while Saint Anselm remains winless at 0-5 both overall and in league play. This season marks the first time that the Hawks have started without a win through their first five games.
SCSU benefited from four first half turnovers by the Hawks, and had an average starting field position at their own 47. The Owls held a 14-2 advantage after the first quarter and then exploded for 28 points in the second to take a 42-2 lead into intermission. The lone Hawk score came on a safety as an errant SCSU snap from the 41-yard line was swatted out of the end zone.
SCSU outgained Saint Anselm by a count of 333-65 in the half, and held the Hawks to just three first downs. Things could have been much worse for the Hawks, but senior linebacker
James Ward (Westerly, R.I./ Westerly) made a number of big plays by intercepting a pass in the end zone and forcing a fumble at the goal line. He also registered a sack en route to 11 tackles in the half.
In the second half, the Hawks outgained SCSU, 143-86 with the majority of those yards coming on an eight-play, 80-yard drive to end the game. The Hawks finally got into the end zone on that drive as
Shane Dinagen (Harrisville, R.I./ Burrillville) found
Dan Deer (Vernont, Vt./ Brattleboro) in the corner for a 16-yard scoring strike as time expired.
Dinagen came on in relief of
Mark McAloon (Attleboro, Mass./ Attleboro), who was making his first collegiate start. The game did not go his way however, as McAloon finished with five completions for just 32 yards and three interceptions in 12 attempts. Dinagen finished 8-for-21 for 93 yards, one TD and one interception.
Ward had three tackles on the first drive of the third quarter and did not play anymore after that, finishing with 14 tackles on the day.
Shawn Harris (W. Haverstrom, N.Y.) led the Owls with 166 yards and three scores on 14 carries for a robust average of 11.9 yards per touch.
Darcel Sheats (New Haven, Conn.) chipped in with 91 yards on 12 carries. In All, SCSU ran for 252 yards on 50 carries.
Padriac Forry (Milton, Mass.) led the Owl defense with 12 total tackles.
Saint Anselm will return to action next Saturday when the Hawks travel to N. Andover, Mass. for an NE-10 matchup at Merrimack.
